Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-03-02
A LITTLE SHOP GIRL.

"Sn6'S an old DARING. SalQ UraC0
Craxall, land mean to help her all |
can. I've got q beautiful recipe for
making chocolate eclairs, and on Fri
day evening / am going there to make
up all thai / can, so that the school
children will buy them on Saturday.
know how to make cinnamon apple
tarts, too, and lemon drops and CO.
coanut balls"
"Grace, do believe you have taken
leave of your Senses" said Medora
May. 'One would think it was dis
grace enough for Aunt Deborah-our
own mothers eister-to open g. horrid
little huckster shop, without mixing
ourselves up in the affair"
But Aunt Deborah must live, you
know" said Grace, who was perched,
feeding the canary with bits of spark
couldn't keep her any longer, and her
eyes are not strong enough for fine
needlework, and her education has
not fitted her to be a teacher, and her
poor old rheumatic bones keep her
from going behind d counter or enter
ing a factory. | suppose you wouldn't
be willing to have her come and live
with your"
eli" cried Medora. "Do you sup
pose want to proclaim to the whole
town that have such a dilapidated
old relation as that?"
81 would take her quick enough"
said Grace, "if I didn't board with
Mrs. Hewitt, and share the little up
stairs back room with the two chill
dren. Just wait until / marry some
rich man." she added with saucy
uplifting OF her saucy brows, "and
then see if | don't furnish stately
apartment for Aunt Debby."
Don't talk nonsense, said Medora,
acidly. cts very likely, isn't it, that
factory girl ikeyouis going to marry
g. rich man."
Grace Craxall laughed merrily. All
through life she and her cousin,
Medora May, had agreed to differ on
most points. Grace, seeing no other
career before her, had, on the death
OF her last surviving parent, cheerfully
entered g. factory; while Medora, TAX
ing her stand on the platform of g.
false gentility, had done fine sewing
and silk embroidery son the sly" to
support herself, putting on all the airs
OF q young lady of fashion the while.
And now Aunt Deborah May, to the
infinite disgust of her aristocratic ally
inclined niece, had actually opened g.
little ow-windowed shop in q shady
street Just out of the main thorough.
fare. and, Medora despairingly ex-
rrplGod IT sfONnG into trade ~
Aunt Debby, in her bewildered lone
illness, had scarcely known what to
do until Grace Craxall came to the
rescae with her hopeful courage and
STRAIGHTFORWARD common sense.
~ only wish it wasn't sinful to take
q dose of laudanum and put myself
out of the way" sighed the poor old
lady.
Now, Aunt Debby, that doesn t
sound g. bit like you," said Grace,
cheerfully.
But what am I to dor" said Aunt
Deborah.
"What can you do?" said Grace.
81 don't know as amgood for any
thing," said the old lady, with a quiet
tear or two, except to help around
the house, and I amt strong enough
for regular hired help Your uncle al
ways used to say was a masterhand
at making bread"
Then make it, brightly interrupt
ed Grace.
'sEll?" said Aunt Debby.
there's nice little store to let on
Bay Street," went on Grace, 'tfor $40
a month"
"But I haven't got $40 month, -
feebly interrupted Aunt Dolby.
''l'll lend it to you," said Grace,
tout of the wages / have saved. And
there's a pretty bedroom at the back
of the shop, and clean, dry basement
under it, where you can bake your
bread. l know, for the sister of the
lady where l board is looking for
diessmaking rooms and | heard her
speaking about it,"
.'Do you mean to open g. bakery 2"
said bewildered Aunt Debby.
'sNotexactly that, explained Grace.
s;But if Mrs. Hewitt, or Mrs. Taylor,
or any of the ladies around here, could
get real homemade bread, such as
you make, do you suppose they would
put up with the stuff they get at the
baker shops? And you could easily
get up reputation for your raisin
cakes, and tried crullers, and New
Eogland pumpkin pies. Now couldn't
your
The old lady frightened up a little.
81 used to be pretty good at cook
ing," said she. "And if you think ]
could support myself So"
Il am sure of it," cried cheerful
Grace. 'I'll go there with you this
very day to look at the place, and will
er gage it for three months on trial.
And | can paint you assign to put over
your door, Homemade Bread, by
Mrs. Deborah May!' And Them you
some curtains and arrange the shelves
in the low window. almost wish !
was going to be your shopgirl," she